Men's Health
: Concern Over Falling Sperm Counts
Paris (dpa) - The sperm count of French men fell by one-third
between 1989 and 2005, according to the results of a study of 26,600
men published Wednesday in the Human Reproduction magazine.
"To our knowledge, it is the first study concluding a severe and
general decrease in sperm concentration and morphology at the scale
of a whole country over a substantial period," the study, which was
led by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance, said.
The study used data from tests on the sperm of men aged between 18
and 70 whose partners were undergoing assisted reproductive
technology (ART) at 126 centres around France. The women were all
infertile, having both fallopian tubes either absent or blocked.
The tests showed a decrease in the men's sperm count of 32.2 per
cent over the 17-year period, with the average concentration for a
35-year-old man falling from 73.6 million sperm per millilitre of
semen to 49.9 million.
The results also showed a "significant, but not quantifiable"
increase in the percentage of sperm with abnormal forms - another
indicator of sperm quality.
The study took into account the men's age, but not socioeconomic
factors such as smoking and weight, which are known to affect sperm
quality.
While the results still put the participants well above the
threshold for male fertility of 15 million sperm per millilitre, the
authors of the study were nonetheless alarmed by the sharp downward
trend.
"This constitutes a serious public health warning," they said.
Researchers have for years debated whether infertility is really
on the march, as suggested by some reports.
The French researchers acknowledged the controversy caused by the
fact that the studies were conducted on small, biased populations,
but said more and more data supported the hypothesis that fetal
exposure to endocrine disruptors - chemicals that interfere hormone
development - could be impairing reproductive development.
"The link with the environment particularly needs to be
determined," they said.
Paris (dpa) - The sperm count of French men fell by one-third
between 1989 and 2005, according to the results of a study of 26,600
men published Wednesday in the Human Reproduction magazine.
"To our knowledge, it is the first study concluding a severe and
general decrease in sperm concentration and morphology at the scale
of a whole country over a substantial period," the study, which was
led by the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance, said.
The study used data from tests on the sperm of men aged between 18
and 70 whose partners were undergoing assisted reproductive
technology (ART) at 126 centres around France. The women were all
infertile, having both fallopian tubes either absent or blocked.
The tests showed a decrease in the men's sperm count of 32.2 per
cent over the 17-year period, with the average concentration for a
35-year-old man falling from 73.6 million sperm per millilitre of
semen to 49.9 million.
The results also showed a "significant, but not quantifiable"
increase in the percentage of sperm with abnormal forms - another
indicator of sperm quality.
The study took into account the men's age, but not socioeconomic
factors such as smoking and weight, which are known to affect sperm
quality.
While the results still put the participants well above the
threshold for male fertility of 15 million sperm per millilitre, the
authors of the study were nonetheless alarmed by the sharp downward
trend.
"This constitutes a serious public health warning," they said.
Researchers have for years debated whether infertility is really
on the march, as suggested by some reports.
The French researchers acknowledged the controversy caused by the
fact that the studies were conducted on small, biased populations,
but said more and more data supported the hypothesis that fetal
exposure to endocrine disruptors - chemicals that interfere hormone
development - could be impairing reproductive development.
"The link with the environment particularly needs to be
determined," they said.
Copyright 2012 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
 |
 |
All contents © Copyright 1999-2018 Genius Central and The Source Natural Foods. All rights reserved. This internet site is hosted by Genius Central, a Web site service provider to natural health stores nationwide. Genius Central and The Source Natural Foods have no means of independently evaluating the safety or functionality of the products offered by their suppliers and affiliates and thus can neither endorse nor recommend products. Information presented is of a general nature for educational and informational purposes only. Statements about products and health conditions have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Products and information presented herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Your use of this site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms and Conditions
